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STaphis-acre hath straight stalkes of a browne colour, with leaues clouen or cut into fiue, sixe, or seuen cliftes, almost lyke the leaues of the wild vine. The flowers grow vpō short stemmes of a fayre blewe of skie colour, parted into fiue or sixe litle leaues: when they are gone there commeth vp close huskes, wherein is conteined a triangled seede, blacke, sharpe, and burning the mouth, the roote is of a wooddy substance, and single.
The Herboristes of this Countrie do sowe it in their gardens, and it groweth prosperously in shadowy places.
Staphis-acre flowreth at Midsomer.
This herbe is called in Greeke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in Latine Herba pedicularis, or Pi∣tuitaria, of some in Greke 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is to say, Lousebane, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉: in shops Staphis agria: in Frenche Staphisaigre, or Herbe aux pouilleux: in high Douche Leusz∣kraut, and Speichelkraut: in base Al∣maigne Luyscruyt, and the seede made into powder Luysepouder, that is to say, Lousepowder.
Staphisacre, especially the seede, is hoate almost in the fourth degree.
[ A] Fifteene seedes of Staphisacre taken with honied water, will cause one to vo∣mit grosse fleme and slymie matter, with violence.
[ B] The seede of Stafisacre mingled with oyle driueth away lise from the head and from all other places of the body, and cureth all scuruie itche, and mangines.
[ C] The same boyled in vineger and holden in the mouth, swageth tooth ache.
[ D] The same chwed in the mouth, draweth foorth much moysture from the head, and mundifieth the brayne.
[ E] The same tempered with vineger, is good to rubbe vpon lousie apparell, to kill and driue away lise.
The seede of Stafisaker to be taken inwardly, is very hurtfull to nature, for it chafeth and inflameth all inwarde partes, and ouerturneth the stomacke, if one holde it in his mouth, it causeth inflammation in the mouth and throte: wherefore one ought not rashly to vse this seede, except it be giuen outwardly.
Before ye occupie the seede of Stafisakre, ye must stipe it in vineger and drie it, and whan it is drie, ye may giue it to drinke with Meade or watered honie. Meade is honie and water boyled togither, and whosoeuer hath receiued of this seede, must walke without staying, and should drinke Hidromel very oftē, when he feeleth any kinde of choking, and in this dooing it shall perfourme his operation without any great danger.